1. Filed of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of horticulture, and more specifically to a novel planter assembly providing three different levels of plant growth therefrom. By selecting the appropriate plants, a person may cause the planter to become completely covered with live foliage, creating a decorative and attractive display.
2. Description of the Related Art
The use of indoor and outdoor-plants as decorative articles, has long been a conventional means of providing attractive decor in homes, offices, and other areas. Conventionally, such plants have been placed in a plastic or pottery flower pot, with the pot being placed in a tray to catch excess water, and the assembly perhaps being suspended by a macrame net and/or hanger. Such hanging planters direct the plants to grow in only one direction. i. e., upwardly out of the top of the pot, and even when the plants growing therein tend to trail downwardly, it is very difficult to train the plants to conceal the relatively unsightly pot from which they are growing.
As a result, hanging planters formed of wire mesh or screen were developed, from which plants could be directed in a generally spherical array. These planters can provide a much more attractive display, with plants radiating omnidirectionally from the contained soil pack and root ball held within the generally spherical wire mesh planter. However, this type of planter generally requires a relatively high level of care, as the root ball is essentially exposed to the air, and sun and wind if placed outdoors, which tend to dry the soil and root ball rapidly. As a result, these planters tend to require a relatively high level of maintenance, with at least frequent watering. This leads to a need for further maintenance in the form of more frequent addition of fertilizer to the planter, as the frequent waterings (or rain, if the planter is exposed to such) tend to leach the fertilizer from the soil ball.
Accordingly, a need will be seen for a hanging planter which obviates the above drawbacks of earlier developed conventional hanging planters, by providing a solid shell formed in two sections and defining a series of plant openings of different levels therebetween. The lower portion of the device is liquid tight, serving to hold a reservoir of moisture therein to preclude any need for frequent watering. Yet, the water level is not so high as to cause root rot for the plants within the planter, as their roots are generally somewhat higher than the water level. A central fertilized wick serves to draw water from the lower level of the planter, upwardly where it is absorbed by the root ball of the plants growing therein.
A discussion of the related art of which the present inventor is aware, and its differences and distinctions from the present invention, is provided below.
U. S. Pat. No. 1,624,504 issued on Apr. 12, 1927 to John H. Pfarr, titled xe2x80x9cFlower Holder,xe2x80x9d describes a generally hemispherical welded wire basket having a drip pan welded to the bottom thereof. A hemispherical soil and root ball is formed within the wire basket, to support a plant or plants growing from the top of the planter. Pfarr stresses the importance of aeration of the soil and root ball, but notes the need for a constant supply of water to preclude excessive drying of the soil, by providing the underlying water pan or container. This precludes any possibility of surrounding the planter with vegetation, due to the greater width of the water pan and its inability to provide support for plants.
U. S. Pat. No. 3,990,179 issued on Nov. 9, 1976 to Rick S. Johnson et al., titled xe2x80x9cMultisection Hanging Pot And Method,xe2x80x9d describes a plant pot assembly having upper and lower portions which secure positively together. The two sections define a series of lateral openings therethrough, but the openings are all of al single level, unlike the multilevel openings of the present hanging planter. The Johnson et al. planter requires that the two planter sections be positively secured together, as the only support is a series of hangers which attach to the upper rim of the upper section. The present planter is supported by a single central rod which secures through the bottom of the lower portion, thus precluding need for positive attachment of upper and lower portions.
U. S. Pat. No. 4,102,081 issued on Jul. 25, 1978 to Edwin M. Morrow, titled xe2x80x9cPlant Container,xe2x80x9d describes a hanging planter having a single central hanger rod. The Morrow planter comprises only one outer container with an internally placed false floor, to provide a water reservoir for plants placed therein. No multiple container sections defining a series of lateral plant openings therethrough, are disclosed by Morrow. Moreover, the present hanging planter provides for the planter to turn in the wind, without unscrewing the lower end of the hanger assembly where it secures through the bottom of the container assembly. Morrow is silent on this point, but it would appear that he has not considered this function in his planter.
U. S. Pat. No. 4,349,172 issued on Sept. 14, 1982 to John J. Banks, Jr., titled xe2x80x9cPlant Pot Suspension Apparatus And The Like,xe2x80x9d describes a notched disc placed in the bottom of the netting suspending a conventional flower pot or the like. A second macrame net may be suspended from the peripheral notches of the disc, or suspended by a single hanger secured to a loop in the center of the disc, to provide a vertical array of a series of hanging planters or containers. Banks, Jr. is silent regarding any lateral openings in the plant containers, in contrast to the hanging planter of the present invention. It is also noted that the structure of the Banks, Jr. assembly does not provide any means for allowing the planter(s) to rotate relative to the uppermost attachment (other than twisting back and forth, due to the resilience of the cord suspension), in contrast to the present hanging planter.
U. S. Pat. No. 4,592,166 issued on Jun. 3, 1986 to Donald L. Tendrup et al., titled xe2x80x9cMultiple Section Hanging Planter,xe2x80x9d describes a two piece pot, with the lower component being of conventional shape and the upper component comprising a rim which seats within the upper edge of the lower component. The lower component also has a series of peripheral slots, with the installation of the upper component defining a series of plant growth openings through the slots. However, the Tendrup et al. assembly differs from the present hanging planter in several ways: (1) The Tendrup planter is of conventional shape; (2) Tendrup does not provide multiple levels of lateral plant growth openings, as provided by the present planter; (3) Tendrup suspends his planter by a series of peripheral hangers, rather than a single central hanger; and (4) Tendrup does not provide any means for his planter to turn or rotate in the wind, as provided by the present planter.
U. S. Pat. No. 4,912,875 issued on Apr. 3, 1990 to Pierre Tardif, titled xe2x80x9cFlower Pot And Saucer,xe2x80x9d describes a generally conically shaped planter with a separate narrower central upwardly, projecting cone which apex includes a hole for hanging the device. The central cone includes a water reservoir in its bottom portion, which seats at the bottom of the larger planter portion. The Tardif planter is not adapted for encouraging generally omnidirectional growth of plants therefrom, as provided by the present planter invention. No lateral plant growth passages are provided by Tardif in his planter, nor is any means for allowing the assembly to rotate, as provided by the present hanging planter.
U. S. Pat. No. 5,333,409 issued on Aug. 2, 1994 to Frank, P. Mendes, titled xe2x80x9cHanging Pot For Growing Plants,xe2x80x9d describes a single container having a plurality of pipe-like orifices extending therefrom, for allowing the growth of plants therefrom. Mendes states that the pipes or tubes assist in supporting the weight of the plant stems as they emerge from the openings, thereby reducing breakage. This is more critical for Mendes, as his planter is directed toward the growing of fruit bearing plants, with the fruits obviously being relatively heavy. This is not necessary with the present planter. In any event, Mendes shows only a single level of plant growth passages in his planter, and suspends the device from a series of peripheral hangers which preclude rotation of the device, unlike the single central hanger of the present planter.
U. S. Pat. No. 5,743,044 issued on Apr. 28, 1998 to Jack A. Hopkins, titled xe2x80x9cFlower Pot Support Bracket,xe2x80x9d describes a support plate with a central hanger rod which passes therethrough to support the plate. The rod also passes through the conventional drain hole in the bottom of a conventional flower pot, with the pot resting atop the plate. Several means of securing the hanger rod to the plate are described, but none permit rotation of the flower pot relative to the rod or plate, whereas the present hanging planter may rotate relative to the rod, without disassembly. Hopkins is silent regarding anything other than a conventional flower pot, devoid of any lateral openings therein.
U. S. Pat. No. 6,058,651 issued on May 9, 2000 to Jose L. Perez, titled xe2x80x9cHanging Plant Apparatus,xe2x80x9d describes an assembly having a conventional flower pot for a lower portion, with al flexible upper sleeve attached to the lower portion. The sleeve has a series of hanger wires extending across the top thereof, for the attachment of a hanger thereto; no single central hanger extends through the device to allow the assembly to rotate or turn, as in the present invention. The flexible fabric sleeve is randomly slit to provide a series of plant growth openings therethrough, but the conventional lower pot remains unbroken about its sides to preclude growth therethrough, unlike the present planter. Perez also provides a wick which extends generally through the center of his planter and out the bottom thereof, but the wick does not serve to water or fertilize the plants, as in the wick of the present planter. Rather, the wick of the Perez planter provides only for a person to check the moisture thereof as an indicator of when the plants need watering. It is further noted that the extension of the wick from the bottom of the Perez planter would allow water to drip therefrom after watering the plants, unlike the present planter with its sealed bottom.
U. S. Pat. No. D-283,992 issued on May 27, 1986 to Donald L. Tendrup et al., titled xe2x80x9cHanging Planter,xe2x80x9d is a design patent for the device disclosed in the ""166 U. S. Pat. to the same inventors and discussed further above. The same differences and distinctions noted in that discussion, are seen to apply here as well.
U. S. Pat. No. D-316,686 issued on May 7, 1991 to Pierre Tardif, titled xe2x80x9cCombined Flower Pot And Hanging Support,xe2x80x9d is a design patent for the device disclosed in the ""875 U. S. Pat. to the same inventor and discussed further above. The same differences and distinctions noted in that discussion, are seen tog apply here as well.
U. S. Pat. No. D-369,122 issued on Apr. 23, 1996 to Fred W. Lowe, Jr., titled xe2x80x9cHanging Planter,xe2x80x9d illustrates a design having a lower planter bowl suspended from a vertically oriented cylinder by a hanger rod. No lateral plant growth passages are disclosed in the illustrations, nor is any function, such as rotation of the assembly relative to the rod, apparent in the illustrations.
British Pat. Publication No. 2,222,063 published on Feb. 28, 1990 to Kenneth E. Rigney, titled xe2x80x9cPlant Container Assembly,xe2x80x9d describes a generally cylindrically shaped container having an open top and a series of upwardly facing spouts extending from the sides thereof. The spouts provide for the growth of plants therefrom. However, no hanger means of any sort is disclosed by Rigney, nor any means of defining a series of plant growth openings on multiple levels by assembling two components, as provided by the present invention.
Finally, British Pat. Publication No. 2,259,842 published on Mar. 31, 1993 to Acton and Acton Ltd., titled xe2x80x9cHanging Bag For Growing Plants,xe2x80x9d describes a flexible knit bag which is filled with, plant growth material and seedlings, and suspended from one end. The suspension end is knotted about a line, thereby precluding any significant rotation of the device. The porous nature of the material cannot control plant growth therefrom, as provided by the series of distinct, predetermined openings defined by the assembly of the upper and lower components of the present hanging planter. Moreover, the Acton and Acton Ltd. planter is porous throughout its entire length, thus allowing excess water to run therefrom and leaching any fertilizer or other critical materials from the bag. A catch pan must be used with the device to capture any liquid which drips therefrom, unlike the present planter.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed.
The present invention comprises a hanging planter providing a generally spherical array of plant growth extending therefrom. The present planter is formed of a lower component having a somewhat modified hemispherical shape, with an upper section having a modified conical shape nesting within the lower section. Both the upper and lower sections have crenelated mating edges, which define a series of plant growth openings about the device when assembled.
These crenelations are of alternating depth in each of the sections, which results in the height or level of the openings being staggered about the circumference of the assembled planter. This results in three different levels for plant growth from the present planter, with two of the levels defined by the two different levels of the plant growth openings, and the third level being defined by the upper edge of the upper portion of the planter. By carefully arranging trailing plants, long stemmed flowering plants, and generally upright plants in layers within the planter, with their roots oriented inwardly toward the center of the planter, the result is a generally spherical array of plants which completely cover the present planter when they are fully grown out.
The present planter includes further features which provide further benefits as well. The present planter is suspended by a single central hanger rod which attaches through a hole in the center of the lower section of the device. The attachment provides a waterproof seal, yet allows the assembly to rotate about the rod due to breezes or other forces. A fertilizer wick is placed along the central rod, with the wick serving two functions: First, it provides a centrally disposed source of fertilizer for the plants placed within the present planter. Secondly, it wicks up water from the lower portion of the assembly, to distribute it to the centrally disposed roots of the plants within the planter. The present planter""s configuration assures that the plants cannot dry out if watered regularly, nor can they suffer from overwatering.
Accordingly, it is a principal object of the invention to provide an improved hanging planter having a lower, bowl-like first component and an upper, ring-like second component which nests within the lower first component.
It is another object of the invention to provide an improved hanging planter which upper edge of the lower component and lower edge of the upper component are crenelated to define a series of plant growth openings about the circumference of the device.
It is a further object of the invention to provide an improved hanging planter which edge crenelations are of varying depth to define at least two levels of plant growth openings therethrough.
An additional object of the invention is to provide an improved hanging planter which suspension means comprises a single centrally disposed hanger rod, about which the planter assembly may rotate due to breezes or other forces.
Still another object of the invention is to provide an improved hanging planter including a centrally disposed fertilizer wick for wicking water to the plant roots contained therein, and fertilizing the plant roots as well.
It is an object of the invention to provide improved elements and arrangements thereof in an apparatus for the purposes described which is inexpensive, dependable and fully effective in accomplishing its intended purposes.
These and other objects of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification and drawings.